Benny Hill

[lovegod]

Alfred Hill was born in Southampton and he and his brother attended Taunton's School.

During World War II, Hill was one of the students evacuated with the school to Bournemouth School, .

After leaving Bournemouth School, Hill worked variously as a milkman , a bridge operator, a driver and a drummer before he finally got a foot in the door of the entertainment industry by becoming an assistant stage manager.



Inspired by the 'star comedians' of British music hall shows, Hill set out to make his mark in show business.

For the stage, he changed his first name to 'Benny', in homage to his favourite comedian, Jack Benny.

Benny began appearing at working men's clubs and Masonic dinners before graduating to nightclub and theatre jobs.

Benny auditioned for Soho's famed Windmill Theatre (home of Revudeville, a popular show of singers, comedians and nude girls), but he was not hired.

His first job in professional theatre as a performer was as Reg Varney's straight man, beating a then unknown Peter Sellers for the role.







I'm pretty sure the blonde thrusting her bosom under Benny's face is ex page three girl Debbie Linden, who died horribly young from a drugs overdose.

Tragic waste. Never realised she was one of Benny's troupe.







wow some lovely girls and led by the lovely Louise English

they did some great dance routines to rival even legs and co

fortunately for us all these dance routines are captured

on video.... forever !



... for you know its right

its in black and white...

and its all in Pepys Diary ....

[steve70]

Hi, many thanx for the great pic of Benny & the Angels!!



Whose the girl in the front row on the right, kneeling in the black shirt - I don`t recall seeing her before?



Anyone have any ideas?



steve

[Automotivehistorian]

Benny once lived in Eastleigh, and used to shop in what was then Safeways supermarket in nPortswood Road, Portswood, Southampton, when I spotted him in the early 1990s. I think he must still have had his flat near the Albert Hall as well.

[lovegod]

Benny's father ran away to join the circus

Benny's uncle died in a high wire accident,



I also read that the most TV shows Benny did in

a year was .... 5 !



An American Benny Hill would probably have cranked out

1 show a week.... at least !

(but then, they have a different work ethic )

[will.15]

name='lovegod']



I also read that the most TV shows Benny did in

a year was .... 5 !



An American Benny Hill would probably have cranked out

1 show a week.... at least !

(but then, they have a different work ethic )

If I remember correctly, the only credited writer on the Benny Hill show was Benny Hill (although he clearly had help from the old style comics' secret collaborator, the joke file)



If Benny did an American style show, he would have needed a dozen or so writers to add more jokes to the file.

[wellendcanons]

Great pic lovegod. Nice to see the lovely Sue Upton, my favoutite Benny Hill girl of the 70's and 80's.



wellendcanons.

[cully]

name='wellendcanons']Great pic lovegod. Nice to see the lovely Sue Upton, my favoutite Benny Hill girl of the 70's and 80's.



wellendcanons.

It's all in the eye of the beholder,isn't it? Sue was one of the few I DID'NT like!!



You've got the orgasmic Louise English and Debbie Linden in that pic, wellend!

[lovegod]

Ive often wondered if Benny did the writing for his TV shows

... all those sketches had to be dreamed up and the screenplay

written out.

I suspect Benny did the lions share of it and you can imagine

that he was forever thinking up new ideas for his TV work



I dare say he wrote some of his comedy songs too...

all in all a very talented guy and his big success in America late

in life must have been very satifying for him too.



... for you know its right

its in black and white...

and its all in Pepys Diary ....

[EHV_Emmetts]

I recently watched on DVD Benny's last TV show - the so-called 'World Tour'. Most of it was filmed in New York and it was produced for US TV. I have never seen it before - I don't recall it being shown on British TV.



I have to say that it was devoid of any humour - in fact it was a bit sad and embarrassing that this offering was Benny's last TV appearance.



After Benny's death some of the 'Hill's Angels' claimed that they had been promised financial assistance as they had been very friendly with Benny on numerous occasions. All of Benny's substantial fortune went to his nephews and nieces in Australia.

[johng]

name='EHV_Emmetts']I recently watched on DVD Benny's last TV show - the so-called 'World Tour'. Most of it was filmed in New York and it was produced for US TV. I have never seen it before - I don't recall it being shown on British TV.



I have to say that it was devoid of any humour - in fact it was a bit sad and embarrassing that this offering was Benny's last TV appearance.



After Benny's death some of the 'Hill's Angels' claimed that they had been promised financial assistance as they had been very friendly with Benny on numerous occasions. All of Benny's substantial fortune went to his nephews and nieces in Australia.

I must agree - having bought the DVD i was very disappointed and nothing like the Benny Hill we knew.

[taffy1967]

name='EHV_Emmetts']I recently watched on DVD Benny's last TV show - the so-called 'World Tour'. Most of it was filmed in New York and it was produced for US TV. I have never seen it before - I don't recall it being shown on British TV.



I have to say that it was devoid of any humour - in fact it was a bit sad and embarrassing that this offering was Benny's last TV appearance.



After Benny's death some of the 'Hill's Angels' claimed that they had been promised financial assistance as they had been very friendly with Benny on numerous occasions. All of Benny's substantial fortune went to his nephews and nieces in Australia.

I remember watching a short lived American made Benny Hill series prior to his death and it wasn't the same.



I also remember watching a programme where his Hills Angels girls who had done him favours weren't too happy that no money came their way after his death, even though he'd stated he'd see them right after his death.



Truth is he hadn't changed his will and all his money went to distant family he didn't even know.

[Freddy]

Another good read from

Another Nickel In the Machine

Benny Hill and the Windmill Theatre in Great Windmill Street, Soho

[Film Man]

I was lucky enough to watch his last recording at Teddington Studios...very funny...but his audience 'chat' during the interval was amazing. His 'off the cuff' jokes and patter were incredible, he had the audience in fits...I wonder if it was recorded and a Producer has it hidden in a cupboard? It would be another side of Benny. His scripts were typed and put together on the cheap by a BBC secretary, who mainly did for nothing...another cost cutting example of Benny.
Film Man.

[jimw1]